Flat-fell sewing machine



3 sheets-sheet 1 H.- F. GRUMAN FLAT FE1-JL SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. l0 1922 Aug. 12I 1924.

Aug. 12, 1924.

H. F. GRUMAN FLAT FELL SEWING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. l0, 1922 w m v m 'Aug. 12 1924,E

H. F GRUMAN FLAT FELL SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. l0 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug, l12, 1 924.

l.UNITED sTATEsPATENT OFFICE.

HORACE F. GRUMAN, OF JACKSON, IllIICHI(':A.Ii",\` ASSIGNOR TO GRUMAN SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, 0F JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

\ i FLAT FELL SEWING MACHINE.

Application led August 10, 1922. Serial 110,580,891.

To all 'whom it may concern;

Be it known thatfI, HORACE F. GRUMAN, a citizen of theUnited States of America, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flat-Fell Sewing Machines, of which the following is a specication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. This invention relates to sewing machines and more particularly to al sewing machine which will produce, with a single passage of material through the machine, what is known as a flat or French fell seam, and

I the object of this invention' is to embodyr in a sewing machine, mechanism for producmg a seam of this character, which mechanism shall be a part of the machine,

as distinguished from an attachment foi.-

machines of `well known construction, andl whereby such mechanism may be located beneath the] cloth plate of the machine to operate. automatically and efficiently and where such mechanism will not interfere with an accurateJ placing? and guidingof the material. or obstruct the operators view of the work. I

A further object is to produce a seam of this character in such a manner thatlthe folded over portion of the seam will'/ lie at the underside of the material while being sewed and thiis the finished or outer side of the material will be uppermost during sewing, with the folded portion of the seam at the inner side of the work.

the cloth thereover, and all operating mechanism is concealed and positioned where` it may be lubricated without danger of soil- .i ing the Work.

A further object is to provide a horizontally operating straight needle for forming .one line of stitching and to provide cei-v hereinafter more fully set forth.

With the above and other ends in view,

tain other new and useful features, allI as the invention consists in the embodiment and concealedi-by the cloth vplate of the machine, and also in certain other new and usefulffeatures in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts, all ashoreinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, -reference being had to the3accompanying drawings in which+4 v Fig. 1 is a front elevA tion of a machine illustrative of the inve tion and showing portions broken away' and in section to more clearly disclose the construction;

Fig. 2 is al horizontal section substantial ly upon the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a transverse Vertical section substantially upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section substantial ly upon the line 4 4 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the folder, throat plate and the stitching plate' in assembled relation ;l and Fig. 6 is a erspective detail illustrating a seam pro uced by the machine.

xIn the accompanying drawings, a machine for forming a fiat fellseam has been t shown, but it will be understood that the sam'e is merely illustrative of one form of construction and that stitching and folding mel/chanism may be combined with or embodied in other types or constructions of sewing mechanisms `#and machines. The sewing machine proper, which is of an old and well known type, comprises a base or frame 1 which is providedl with bearings lfor a horizontally Iextending mainv drive shaft 2 upon the outer endfof which is secured the usual drive pulley 3, and this base orframe is covered by a top or cloth plate 4 from which rises the usual hollow pedestal 5 having a laterally extending hol- Ylow arm 6 provided vwith a head 7 at its l free end. /Within suitable bearings in this head is mounted the usualvertical needle bar 8 carrying the vertically disposed needle' cation is imparted to this needle bar rom a horizontal rock shaft l0 extendingl ngi.- tudinally within the arm 6 andconnected in any suitable manner with Ithe bar, as by an arm 11 on the shaft and a link 12 connecting the free end of the arm with the bar. Motion s transmitted to the roclr shaft from the main drive shaft 2 through the hllow pedestall 5, by means of an eccentric 13 on the shaft l2` and/.fa rod 14 9 at its lower end, and'a vertical recipro-v llO attachedat one end to an eccentric stra 15 and at its opposite end to the free en of an arm 16 on the rock shaft. A presser bar 17 is also mounted for vertical reciprocation in bearings in the head 7 and is provided with the usual presser foot 18 beneath which the work passes as it is being stitched by the `needle 9, anysuitable means including an arm 19 being provided for operating this presser bar in the usual manner.' Set within an opening in the cloth plate 4 beneath the presser foot 18 is the usual throat plate 20 having a series of longitudinal slots therein to receive the toothed portions of the main cloth feeder or dog 21 for feeding the material in timed relation to the operation of the ,needle 9 which passes through an opening im the presser foot, an opening 22 in said throat plate, and through the cloth, (zo-operating with the usual stitch forming mechanism (not shown) beneath the cloth plate to form a line of stitching. An up and down motion is imparted to this feeder 21 by a cam 23. on the main drive shaft 2 which cam is engaged by a yoke 24 carrying said feeder and. pivotally connected at 25 to upwardly extendin rocker arms 26 pivoted at their lower ends to the frame 1. These arms are vrocked forward and back, imparting a reciprocating movement to the feeder 21 during its rising and falling movement imparted thereto by the cam 23, by an eccentric rod 27 embracing'an eccentric 28 on the shaft 2 at one end and adjustably connected at its opposite end to one of said rockers 26, by a pin 29 having a head engaged vwith and slidable within an undercut groove 30 in an arm 31 secured to the pivot pin 32 upon which the rocker arms 26 are secured. The throw imparted to the rocker arms and thus the length of stroke ofthe feeder, may be readily adjusted by adjusting the pin' 29 along the groove 30, and as this motion is transmit-` ted from the main drive shaft the feeder is operated in timed relation to the reciprocation of the needle 9.

All of the .above described ,elements or their equivalents are common in and, essential to a -sewing machine for forming a single line of stitching by means of a vertical needle.

Machines embodying the present invention are adapted t0 form seams of the character illustrated in Fig. 6 wherein the two pieces of cloth to be united by the seam are indicated at 31 and 32, and the respec tive folded edge portions of these pieces, at 33 and 34, theportion 34 being of greatest width so that its edge portion 35 may be folded over the edge of the portion 33 and then both portions 33 and 34 folded against the underside of the piece 31 and secured Athereto by Ythe line of stitching 36 which is formed b the vertical needle 9. The pieces must owever, be rstrunited by the line of stitching 37, this line being formed while the edge portions 33and 34 are ex` tending verticall downward, the folding and formation o the second line of stitchs ing 36 being accomplished immediately thereafter. f

The pieces of cloth to be united, are fed to the machine with their edge portions extending vertically downward as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, these edge portions being passed into a slot indicated in dotted lines at 38 in Fig. 2, which slot opens through the front edge of the cloth plate 4. A stitehin plate 39 is set into an opening in the clot plate atthe forward end of the throat plate 20 with its upper surface. flush with the upper surface of the cloth and throat plates, and this stitching plate has a downwardly extending {iange 40 at one edge, which ange forms one side of said slot 38 and a backing or support against which-the downturned edge portions of the cloth are pressed by a' horizontally operated presser foot 41 adapted to press these portions firmly yagainst said anfre and hold them firmly while being stitched together by the line of stitching 37 which is formed by a horizontally reciprocating needle 42 carried `by a horizontal needle bar 43 reciprocable in suitable bearings on the frame or base 1 beneath the cloth plate 4 and forwardly of the needle 9 in the direction of travel of the cloth through the machine. Reciprocation of this horizontal needle bar in timed relation to the operation of the vertical needle 9 and other moving parts of the machine, is effected by means of a Worm 44 onthe. shaft 2, a worm gear 45 on a shaft 46 extending transversely of the shaft 2, and a crank and connecting rod 47 transmitting motion from said shaft 46 to said needle bar 43. This needle when reciprocated, asses through an opening in a horizontal ceder 48, an .opening in the presser foot 41 and an opening in the flange 4() of the stitching plate, passing through the two downturned edge portions of the cloth near the underside of-the cloth plate and cooperating with looper mechanism, hereinafter described, to form the line of stitching 37 which unites these edge portions prior to the folding of the same.

The presser foot 41 is carried by a presser bar 49 reciprocable in bearings in the frame 1 and a coiled spring 50 sleeved upon this bar normally exerts a pressure to hold the bar moved endwise and the presser foot said fiange, and to operate this presser bar in timed relation to the operation ofthe.

vneedle 42 and other parts, against the action of said spring 50, a rocker 51 is pivoted at of the. needle bar will thus impart movement to the presser bar to move the same against the action of its coiled spring and thus release the edge portions of the cloth Asothat the same may be fed into the machine pastl the needle by the feeder 48 which has a toothed edge portion 55 adapted to extend over the upper end of the presser foot 41 andv engage the cloth.

This feeder 48 is moved into and out of engagement with the cloth in timed relation to the sewing and other operations by attaching said feeder Vat one end to the end of a rod 56 by means of a pivot screw 57 and said rod is reciprocated in its bearings on the frame by means of la cam 58 on the shaft 46, which cam is engaged by a yoke 59 pivoted at 60 and provided with an arm 61 extending downwardly from its pivot with the lower end of said arm connected to the rear end of said rod 56 by a link 62.

In order to impart a feeding movement to the feeder 48 or a swinging movement in the direction -of travel of the cloth, a link 63 is pivotally attached at one end to the feeder, intermediate the ends thereof and at its opposite end to the upper end of one of the rocker arms 26, as indicated at 64. The feeder 48 is therefore. moved toward and from the flange 4() and also swung longitudinally thereof to effect an intermittent feedinor movement to the feeder.

After the edsge portions 33 and 34 of the cloth have been united by the sttchin 37, these portions are. foldedlaterally, -an upwardly against the underside of the part 3l of the cloth, lthe edge portion 35 of the portion 34 being at thel same time folded over the edge of the portion 33, by a properly formed and curved folder plate 65 which, as 'shown in Fig. 5 is secured to the forward end of the throat plate 20 within a notch or cut-away corner of the stitching plate 39, and this plate slants upwardly from its lower end which lies in the path of the downturned edge portions of the cloth, to gradually curl or fold over these portions, at the same time bringing them against the underside of the part 31 of the cloth to pass onto the upper surface of the vthroat plate 20 and beneath the presser foot 18 to be firmly held thereby and sewed together by the. line of stitching 36 formed by the vertical needle 9.

To co-operate with the horizontal needle 42 in forming the proper stitching a looper 66 is secured upon the upper end of a vertical shaft 67 mounted 1n bearings on the frame at the side of the fiange 40 on the stitching plate opposite that at which the needle is located, said looper being arranged to co-operate with the point of the needle when the same is projected through the opening in the said ange. The looper shaft 67 is arranged to rotate and move longitudinally in its bearings so that the looper will ybe raised above the plane of the needle at the time the needle pierces the cloth and passes" through the flange and so that the needle willrpass through a loop of thread carried by the looper, and then as the movement continuesland the looper turns, the loopI of thread will .be cast off the point of the looper and tied up around the needle,

this happeningv at theinner end of the stroke of the needle with the looper at the extreme rear end of its throw, then as the reverse movements take place, the looper lowers and turns forward as the needle recedes, and the point of the looper picks olf below the needle, the loop of thread from the eye thereof.

To secure these movements of the looper in exact timed relation to the movement of theneedle, rotation of the looper shaft is effected by providing an arm 68 on said shaft which is held against moving with the longitudinal movement of the shaft by mounting said arm between the 'bearings 69 for the shaft and to operatively connect the arm to the shaftI to turn therewith and at the same time permit the Shaft to move longitudinally independently of the arm, a longitudinal groove 70 is provided in the shaft to be engaged by a key carried by the arm. The shaft and looper are rotated by connecting the free end of the arm 68 by means of a link 71 with the end of the bar 54 which is secured to the presser bar 49 and is operated through the connecting rocker 51 by the reciprocation of the needle bar 43. The rotation of the looper is thus in accurate timed relation to the operation ofthe needle 42.

To raise and lower the looper in timed relation to the operation of the needle 42 and other part, a cam 72 is provided on the drive shaft 2 and this cam is engaged by a oke 73 pivoted on the frame intermediate its ends with its opposite end formed to engage a grooved collar 74 secured upon the lower end of the looper shaft. The turning of this yoke upon itspivotal support by the cam will thus raise, and lower the loo-per in accurate timed relation to its turning movement and to the movements of the other parts of the machine.

With this comparatively simple construction and arrangement of parts, a sewing machine which is operated eflicientlyto form a flat fell seam with a single and continuous passage of the material therethrough and as the auxiliary or horizontal line of stitchingv is formed by a straight horizontally reciprocated needle, this needle and its operating mechanism may be all located Within the base of the machine below the cloth plate where it will not interfere with the passage of the work therethrough and Where it may be properly mounted and lubricated.

Havingthus fully ldescribed my invention, what I claim is:-

1. In a machine for forming a. flat fell seam in which edge portions of material are `united by a-line of stitching and the united terial -through the machine and the other of said needles being positioned lbelow said plane.

2.*In a machine for forming a flat fell seam, vthe combination with needles for forming separate lines of stitching arrangedv in angular relation to each other, and folding means to fold the seam; ot

means for operating said' needles, and a` cloth plate over which the work is passed for forming the seam, said cloth plate being positioned above the plane of movement of one of said 'needless i 3. In a machine'f for forming a flat fell seam, the combination with needles for forming separate lines of stitching arranged in angular relation to eachother and folding means to foldV the seam; of

means y for operating said needles, one of said .needles and its operating mechanism i. being positioned above and the other needle and its operating mechanism being positioned below the plane of the passage of the body of the. material past said needles.

4. In a machine for forming a flat fell seam, the combination with needles for forming separate lines of stitching arranged in angular relation to each other and folding means to fold the seam; of means for operating said needles, a cloth plate over which the work is passed for forming .the seam. one of said needles and its operating mechanism being located below the plane of said cloth plate.

5. In a machine for 'forming a flat fell seam, the ,combination with needles for forming separate lines of stitching arranged in angular relation to each other und folding means tofold the seam; of means for operatingy said needles, a cloth plate over which the work is passed for forming the .ffeeding means being locat seam, one of said needles being located below the cloth plate and being a horizontal longitudinally reciprocable straight needle, and means also positioned below said cloth plate and eo-operating with said horizontal needle to form a line of stitching.

'6. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination of a vertically reciprocable needle for forming one line of stitching, a presser foot cooperating with said. needle, feeding means cooperating with said presser foot to feed the work, and means for operating said needle and feeding means in timed relation to each other; of a. needle for forming a separate line of stitching and arranged at right angles to said vertical needle and below the horizontal plane of said presser foot, feeding means, and means for operating said angularly arran ed needle and feeding means in timed relation to said vertically reciprocable needle.

7. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination with a vertically reciprocable needle for forming one line of stitching, a presser foot cooperating with said needle, feeding means cooperatin with said presser foot to feed the work, an means for operating said needle and feeding means in timed relation to each other; of a second needle for forming a separate line of stitching, feeding means, a presser foot cooperating with said second needle, and means for operating said second needle, presser foot and feeding means in timed relation to said vertically reciprocable needle, said second needle and its cooperating resser foot and below the horizontal plane of the presser foot cooperating with the vertical needle.

S. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination of a vertically reciprocable needle for forming one line of stitching, a presser foot cooperating with said needle, feeding means cooperating with said presser foot to feed the work, and means for operating said needle and feeding means in timed relation to each other; of a needle for forming a separate line of stitching positioned belon7 the horizontal plane of said presser foot and folding means positioned between said needles, and below the horizontal plane of said presser foot.

9. In a machine for the pur ose described, the combination of a vertical y reciproeable needle for forming one line of stitching, a presser foot cooperating with said needle, feeding means cooperating with said presser foot tofeed the work, and means for operating said needle and feeding means in timed relation to each other: of a needle for forming a separate line of stitching below the horizontal plane of the line of stitching formed by said vertical needle, a. stitching plate having a part provided with an opening through which the lower needle neath the cloth plate, cloth guiding means provided with an opening through which the horizontal needle is projected, folding means positioned between said guiding means and vertical needle tev fold downturned edge portions of the cloth guided by said guiding means against the body of the cloth resting upon the cloth plate, a, presser co-operating with said guiding means to hold said down-turned edge portionswhile being sewed by said horizontal needle, and means beneath the cloth plate for operating said horizontal needle and presser in timed relation/to the operation of said vertical needle.

11. In a machine oflvthe character described, the combination with a horizontally disposed cloth plate, a vertically recilprocable needle positioned above the cloth p ate, and means for o erating said needle, of a horizontally reciprocable needle beneath the cloth plate, cloth guiding means providedV with an opening through which the horizontal needle is projected, folding means positioned between said guiding means and vertical needle to fold downturned edge portions of the cloth guided by Said guiding means against the body of the cloth resting upon the cloth plate, a presser co-operating with said guiding means to hold said down-turned edge portions While being sewed by said horizontal needle, feeding means to engage the downturned edge portions of the cloth opposite said guiding .means, means operable iny timed relation to saidwneedles and presser for operating said feeding means, and means beneath the cloth plate for operating said horizontal needle and presser inv timed relation to the operation of said vertical needle.

.12.. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a vertically reciprocable needle, a horizontally disposed cloth plate, and means for reciprocating vsaid needle across the plane of the cloth plate, of a horizontally disposed longitudinally reciprocable needle beneath the cloth plate and in advance of the vertical needle in the direction of the passage ofthe cloth past the needles, a stitching plate in advance of the vertical needle and in the plane of the cloth plate and provided 'with a downwardly extending portion having an opening through which the horizontal needle isy projected in its movement, folding means positioned between said stitching plate and said vertical needle vto fold downwardly eX- tending edge portions of the cloth upwardly against theunderside of thebody of the cloth resting upon the cloth plate, a horizontally reciprocable presser foot co-operating with a downwardly extending portion of the stitching plate 'to hold the downturned edge portions of the cloth while being stitched by the horizontal needle, feeding means to engage the downturned edge, portions of the cloth opposite the downwardly extending portion of the stitching plate, looper mechanism co-operatin with the horizont-al needle in forming a ine of stitching in the downturned edge portion of the cloth and operating mechanism beneath the cloth plate4 for operating said horizontal needle, said presser foot, saidfeeding means, and said looper mechanism in timed relation -to the operation of the vertical needle. v

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HORACE F. GRUMAN. Witnesses:

ANNA M. Donn, LnwIs E. FLANnnRs. 

